Metal railroad-tie.



J. CURTIS.

METAL RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 20, 1913.

1,097,004, Patented May 19, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M'Znemes 4 [2209/2 for coLuMBIA PLANOCIRAPI-l KID-.WASHINOTON, Die

J. CURTIS. METAL RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 20,-1913.

1,097,004, Patented May 19, 1914,

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w Ma

fig 6*.

M272 essa [/2 0872 for UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

JAMES CURTIS, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHURE. MILLER, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

METAL RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

App1ioation'filed December 20, 1913. Serial N 0. 807,880.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs CURTIs, a citizen of the United States,residing in Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento, State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Metal Railroad-Tie, of whichthe fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of metal railroad ties wherein theends or heads are made from sheet metal and separably connected by ametal bar, and has for its object the formation of a tie of this sort ina manner such that it may be easily constructed and handled, will holdits seat firmly in the ballast, may yield at one end without affectingthe other, and may have its ends weighted if desired.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the structure ofparts and in their combination for the purpose stated substantially ashereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents the improved tie in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a planof a section of track equipped with the improved ties; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of said section; Fig. 4 is a plan of the bar which connectsthe tie heads; Fig. 5 represents the form of the flat blank from whichthe tie heads are const-ructed; Fig. 6 is an end view of the tie head frmed from said blank by folding it at oblique angles along the fineparallel lines extended longitudinally of the blank in Fig. 5; and Fig.7 is a plan of one of the clamp plates by which the rails are fastenedto the ties.

In the drawings the tie heads are indicated by a, the bar connecting twotie heads by Z), the bolts by which such connection is made by C, whilethe rails F are fastened to the ties by clamp platescl bolted in placeby bolts 6. The bolts 6 pass through square holes 70 in the tie headsand holes Z in the clamp plates and the bolts C pass through holes h(preferably square) in the bar 5 and holes I in the tie head.

In the formation of the tie heads, blanks are cut from sheet metal ofsuitable thickness in the form shown in Fig. 5 and these are bent intothe form shown in Fig. 6, the holes 1 and 7c having preferably beenpunched before bending the blank. The heads and connecting bars may thenbe transported to the place of use and assembled.

The ties when laid will hold their place in the ballast because of theirconcave bottoms and angular edges and since the heads are open-endedtubes they may be filled with ballast or concrete if desired. The bars 5are sufliciently flexible to permit one tie head to yield under theweight of a train without affecting the other and yet they will holdsaid heads firmly against any tendency of the rails to spread. There isalso a yield ing in each tie head under the weight of a train due to thefact that the side portions of the blank, which form the bottom of saidhead, are inclined upwardly and are not joined together which leavesthem free to spring upwardly when the top of the head is pressed down.Thus results a yielding action without disturbance of ballast.

The invention claimed is:

1. A tie head consisting of a sheet-metal blank folded at oblique anglesalong longitudinal lines whereby an open-ended tubelike structure isproduced having a flat top shorter and narrower than the bottom anddownwardly inclined sides and ends, the side portions of the blankforming the bottom of said structure with their edges in approximationand being upwardly inclined, whereby said bottom is resilient andconcave for the purpose set forth.

2. A railroad tie comprising a flexible bar having bolted thereto ateach end a tie head consisting of a sheet-metal blank folded at obliqueangles along longitudinal lines whereby an open-ended tube-likestructure is produced having a flat top shorter and narrower than thebottom, the side portions of the blank forming the bot-tom of saidstructure with their edges in approximation and being upwardly inclined,all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES CURTIS.

WVitnesses:

CLINTON E. HARBER, ALICE M. PAOHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O.

